FAMILY JEWEL

FAMILY: JEWEL OF HUMANITY CONCEIVED BY GOD

A Chapter from the book “Sparks of Light” from the heart of Mother Elvira

The family, the precious pearl that is the richness of every human being, is being polluted in this age full of agitation, confusion, fear, and rebellion. Already at the dawn of Creation, all of the beauty surrounding us, His love was pleased to prepare the natural environment to give life to the first man and woman. “God created man in the image of Himself; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Gen 1:27) Each one of us has in his heart a desire to be fulfilled by having a family, because only within the family can our greatest needs be expressed: a dialogue not only with words, but with our feelings, our affections, our gaze, in a reciprocal gift of self and in concrete actions of love.

The family flows from a Trinitarian reality: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Within each of us is a natural, essential, and fundamental need to see ourselves in the gaze, smile, and welcome of another person. It begins in a true friendship, rooted in purity, without hidden intentions. Slowly, it is transformed into attraction and dialogue, developing into a selfless, gratuitous love that becomes a spousal love. A true vocation to marriage is formed by the truth of a peaceful and loving dialogue with God, which is extended to and developed in the couple.

We need to be aware that marriage is not the “finish line,” but a starting point, which is full of surprises with its light and dark moments. This is why self-knowledge though a living faith, which is dynamic and full of good deeds, allows you to journey with your spouse heart to heart, discovering the other person and respecting his or her past, fragility, and personal story. This can come about only if both look toward God the Creator, Who is the Father and Saviour. In this case, what seems to be a contradiction, an imposition, repetition, or incompatibility, is transformed into joy, renewal, and the beauty of experiencing a love that gives life. Husbands and wives have to give life to each other, sacrificing the many big or small acts of self-interest. Only then they can conceive a child — or ten children — in joy, hope, and authentic love.

While looking into each other’s eyes, the first thing that two Christian spouses need to say is, “I need you. You are important to me!” Even if the beginning of the journey is an uphill climb, we know it can be done if we know how to stay on our knees, facing the One Who speaks to us, Who comforts is, Who reproaches us, Who welcomes us, Who raises us up, and Who is in the voice of our conscience. If we let Christ dwell in us, He can heal our wounds, transform our fragility, and enlighten our hearts and minds with the light of His truth. He will melt the deepest “me” to create a new “us” that is original, unique, and unrepeatable. This is the Christian family! We will then find that inner balance and harmony, which will help to draw out the paternity and maternity in each one of us. If this does not happen, we risk failure.

At His word and though His faithfulness, we will continue to “cast our nets,” for everything is possible to those who believe. We are certain that, as our Holy Father John Paul II said: “The Christian family is the center and heart of the civilization of love.”